Cover Girl
by L. E. Mentol
Summary: "If he has eyes may he not see me, if he has ears may he not hear me, if he has lips may he not call me, if he has hands may he not touch me, if he has legs may he not chase me." Two-shot AU


**A newly thought out One-shot.**

**Will it interest you? Heck I don't know. Just don't be fooled by the title.**

**I do not own Naruto, I can only wish.**

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"_So who is she exactly?"_

"_From what I hear she's the granddaughter of Konoha Academy's principle."_

"_Tsunade-sama's that old?"_

"_No, her daughter apparently got pregnant __**really**__ young. She ended up dying after __**she**__ was born."_

"_Whoa, so what's the problem again?"_

"_Well it just pisses me off how she's the only one that can break one of the school rules."_

"_The no hoody or hat rule?"_

"_Exactly! It annoys me!"_

"_That's hardly a reason to not like her."_

"_Please, any special treatment is enough not to like someone besides it's said that she thinks her face is just too good to be shown to anyone in school."_

"_What's her name anyway?"_

"_Sakura Haruno."_

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It wasn't a secret who Tsunade's pride and joy was in the Academy. And nor was it a secret that, that pride and joy was the most ignored and promptly disliked student around. Sakura Haruno, currently a senior in Konoha Academy, had to deal with the hate since she transferred her sophomore. Friendless and without a person to look after her in her own educational hell, she came to accept the solitude. However, not everyone was unaware of the girl's existence, and that one person arrives today.

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**A Day Earlier**

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_Back home…_

Sasuke thought as he looked out his car window. It's been awhile since he had a chance to drive around Konoha. He spent six years studying abroad, away from his family and friends. It was this year that he decided it was time to return, the last year before he would attend college with his friends.

To say he missed this city would be an understatement. He had been dying to return, and most of that was to shut the blonde idiot he called his best friend to up. His leaving had been too sudden all those years ago, he didn't really have a chance to say good bye. But he was back now, school starts tomorrow and he was ready to take on anything the idiot threw at him.

He continued to drive through town constantly recognizing familiar stores, parks along the way.

_It really is good to be back._

He finally made it back to his house, his eyes looked around noticing the lack of cars in the circular drive way. His face frowned a little, "Looks like mom and dad are out," he muttered to himself. Parking his car, he made his way up the steps to his front door when he stopped suddenly. Something didn't feel right. He turned his head to the side, allowing his eye to scan the perimeter. He knew something was here, and it was an oddly familiar feeling.

Shaking off his paranoid feelings he entered his house, only to be tackled to the ground in a choke hold.

"Ha! I got you, you bastard!"

Sasuke quickly grabbed his attacker's arm and bent his knees successfully tumbling him into the ground. He bent his attacker's arm behind his back, forcing his face into the marble floor.

"How's it been, Dobe?" Sasuke asked tauntingly at the blonde on the floor.

"Ha, pretty good, I see you haven't gotten soft all these years," Naruto said while still struggling against the boy's hold.

With a final chuckle he got off his bestfriend; helping him onto his feet. Both laughing slightly as they gave each other a brotherly hug.

"It's been a while, dobe," Sasuke began once they parted.

"Pft, I'll say," Naruto laughed, "Everyone already knows you came back, and they're just waiting to ambush you tomorrow."

Sasuke began walking into his living room, "Well has anything happened while I was gone?"

Naruto gave him a blank face, "Really? It's been six years."

"I meant aside from what you told me."

Naruto shrugged, "Not really, everyone's still with everyone, and yes including me and Hinata."

Naruto plopped onto the couch, relishing in the familiar view of his friends living room.

"I can't image how she can deal with you."

Naruto threw a pillow at the raven haired boy's head, "Shut up, teme. I'm awesome."

Sasuke caught the thrown pillow and quickly sent it back, "Sure, why are you here again?" he relaxed on own sofa, "We'll see each other in less than ten hours."

"Oh well, the greeting I gave you would've gotten me suspended, I rather not deal with that on the first day."

Sasuke nodded, "True." He sighed.

"So, I wanna have something to talk about tomorrow."

"I was thinking the same thing," Sasuke admitted, "Get out."

Naruto laughed, "Well don't beat around the bush teme." He heaved himself from the couch, "See you tomorrow."

With that the blonde's short visit ended.

It was still a little strange being back and everything. Sure, he was glad all of his old friends were still in town that at least brought some sort of comfort for him. But one thing that edged him was that his brother had left the house a few months ago and his family hasn't heard a thing about him. It worried him, it was his brother after all, he had no choice but to care for him.

With a sigh, he heaved himself of the couch and made his way to his old room; which had been nicely refurnished for his return. He wasn't going to say that they were rich, nah; well at least he never considered them to be all that wealthy. As a child he and his brother would argue about what they called themselves and the word that both decided on was that they were very _fortunate._

Once in his room he plopped onto the bed, there was nothing much to do. His classes would start tomorrow, he had his uniform ready and everything now was just for tomorrow to come already. And of course something that peaked his curiosity. Over some conversations between him and the blonde idiot, he managed to hear the others in the background shouting greetings as well as some curses his way, he laughed them off. But then some point in all those phone calls they would begin to complain about a girl, he could never remember her name. He could hear the disgust in their voice, pure hatred; he didn't have to present to see the frown on their faces. But like in any situation Naruto would try to defend the nameless girl. He didn't really understand what the girl had done. He had asked Naruto once and he always shook it off, not because he didn't want to just because he saw no real point to it. At the time they both had agreed on the reason but of course no one counted on the Uchiha to make the decision to return back to Konoha.

His mind went through tomorrow. He wasn't anxious, please that wasn't even close. But if high school back home is anything like it was studying abroad he has a lot of running to do.

He shuddered at the thought of having to run from screaming girls.

He sighed again, and before he knew it his eyes had drifted closed.

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Sasuke sat in his car, heading to his first day at Konoha Academy. The idiot had already texted him early enough to tell him where to meet up with the others. After so long he was finally going to see them again. He drove quickly, adjusting his uniform's tie over and over again; he was not used to the uniform one bit. By the end of the drive he found that he had loosen his tie a bit too much to look professional, he shrugged it off and just went on to unbutton his top button. He took in a deep breath, "How do they wear this stuff?" he muttered to himself as he reached in to get his black messenger bag.

It was still pretty early so there weren't many students around. He looked around the grounds, trying to follow Naruto's instructions to the best of his ability; _Can I even trust that idiot's sense of direction?_ He thought.

He looked around his surroundings, noticing that the small population of girls, at the time, was turning his way, "Great." He muttered.

"Sasuke!" he heard a shout ahead of him. He turned his head quickly enough to see the five figures standing by the corner of the school entrance. He let a smirk make its way to his face as he walked in their direction.

Suddenly, he felt light pressure on his side, and small _oof_. He looked down fast to see a girl, he assumed by the uniform skirt, down on the ground with a notebook by her side. He looked up to her face only to find it shadowed by her red hoodie.

She quickly got to her feet and dusted herself off before reaching down to grab her book when Sasuke decided he might as well do something.

His slender hand reached down and took hold of her book for her to take, "You might want to watch where you're going." He tried to say it as politely as he could.

He kept his eyes on her hidden face only able to see a little bit of her lips mutter a soft, "Thanks." Before she snatched the book back and ran into the building.

His eyes trailed after her. Not even noticing the stares of his friends at the corner.

Once he made it there, instead of receiving heartwarming welcome he was met with serious frowns except for Naruto who was trying his best to have a positive attitude.

"What?" was all Sasuke managed to say.

"You know her?" Ino was the first to ask.

"Who?" it took him a while to think back, "Oh, her. No, why?"

"I wouldn't talk to her much," Kiba said, with the most serious tone Sasuke ever remembered hearing from him.

"Guys, really?" Naruto complained, "Can't you just let him make his own decision about her?"

"It wouldn't hurt to give the background," Shikamaru said from behind the rest, "We have enough time for that."

"Background on what?"

"The Cover Girl." Kiba said trying his best to make his voice as eerie as possible, earning a good smack in the head by Ino.

"Stop calling her that, it irritates me," she fumed.

"You know, I don't mean it that way," he whined.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the pair. _Cover girl huh?_ "So what? She looks better than Ino is that the main issue here?" he mocked nonchalantly.

"Please!" she yelled.

Hinata finally spoke, "To be honest, none of us have actually gotten a good look at her face," she said softly.

"No one in the school except for Tsunade, and Kakashi-sensei has seen her face actually," Shikamaru put in.

Sasuke leaned against the nearby wall, facing his friends, "Why's that?"

"You haven't noticed!?" Kiba yelled.

"I just got here, how can I notice anything," Sasuke bit back,

"You just saw her!"

"Who? This so called _Cover Girl_? What's up with that name anyway?"

"They came up with it just because she wears hats and hoodies all year long. And they always seem to cover up her face." Naruto said bitterly.

Sasuke sensed the uneasiness Naruto must've felt talking about this girl. To be quite fair he didn't really care about whom this girl was, but it did spike his interest when it was revealed that her face hasn't been shown to anyone… Even more that she seemed to be the target of the school including the majority of his group of friends.

"The point is that she-" Ino was interrupted.

"Look, I don't really care about this girl," he said boredly.

"But Sasuke,"

"Seriously," he gave them a firm frown, "It doesn't concern me."

Ino turned her gaze away while the others simply shrugged it off. Naruto was the first to break the silence, with his never changing goofy grin, "Well, you heard him. So teme…" he approached his best friend, "About you leaving so suddenly…"

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It was the middle of class already and Sasuke's sides continued to throb. They had all attacked him then and there. No wonder they wanted to see him early.

He let out a quiet sigh, he at least got his welcome back group hug he had originally been expected. Unfortunately though, that whole ambush took some time. Once it was done the school's tone finally sounded.

He didn't have the others in his class only Naruto. To be honest he preferred the idiot to the others. At least he wasn't tearing him down with information on the so called Cover Girl.

As much as he wanted to say that he didn't care, it spiked his interest. He had bumped into that girl. And he didn't even get a good look at her face despite their closeness. And what made it worse was that the girl… was sitting… right beside him.

His eyes went to her; her hood was up her head bowed onto the desk. Only now he was able to see the tip of her nose. He could tell that her skin was fair, that was all he was able to see, at least, her lips were a pink and looked so smooth from the outside. His eyes traveled over her red hoodie. It was loose on her body, her fingers were small and thin, heck he barely felt her bump into him outside, it's only to be excepted that she'd be tiny. Her skirt that had hitched up slightly in her sitting position revealed about an inch or two of her long creamy legs.

He was a guy after all; it would be weird for him not to notice.

His attention shifted back to the front of the room where his teacher, Kakashi-sensei was still giving his first day of school announcements and what not. He raised an eyebrow at the man _A surgical mask? Really?_ He thought to himself.

Actual assignments won't be given until tomorrow; he was starting to wonder why he even came to the first day of school. The small giggles in the back of the room increases his wonder.

Studying abroad and studying back at home didn't seem to make a difference with the girls; they were all giggling idiots and air head. Once again his eyes went to the girl next to him.

She avoided his stare, his presence, though he didn't doubt that she avoided that from everyone. Her head remained down the whole time; even Kakashi didn't seem to mind though he had told the class to face him.

Finally the lunch bell rang, he sat on his desk and took out his own box lunch, like he was gonna eat school lunch. Almost ten seconds after he set out his _bento_ Naruto sat in front of him.

"So, teme. I saw you eying Sakura most of class."

Sasuke's eyes widened, "Wait, who's Sakura?"

Naruto air quoted, "Cover girl."

"Ah," _So that's her name,_ "I thought you didn't really pay attention to her."

Naruto's eyes hardened as he looked down to his ramen cup, "It's not that I don't pay attention to her, I just don't like people spreading stuff about her."

Sasuke's eyes once again went to the desk beside him only to see that Sakura had left.

"Where'd she go?"

"She usually eats with the principal, her grandmother." Naruto said moving his soup around.

Sasuke's eyes widen, "Isn't Tsunade your aunt?"

Naruto chuckled, "Yeah, didn't think she was that old did you?" Sasuke shook his head, "Nah, her daughter just had Sakura pretty young."

"So you're related to her?" the blonde nodded "You've seen her?" Sasuke asked. He almost slapped himself at how excited he sounded.

"Maybe." Naruto took a long slurp of his ramen, "If I have seen her I don't remember, sides the family doesn't really speak of that."

Sasuke's frowned, "So your family hasn't spoken about your second cousin since she was born?"

"It's for Tsunade's sake." Sasuke raised an eyebrow at that as he took a bite from his bento, "Her daughter died giving birth."

His eyes once again made their way to the now empty seat to his right. To grow up without a mother, something he'd rather hope to not to understand. His mother was everything to him more than his brother, his father, even the dobe. To not have her around him, he wouldn't be able to take that.

"So she lives with her dad?" Sasuke tried to ask casually.

"Yeah, and you won't guess who her dad is either!" Naruto yelled excitedly.

How could he even guess had it already passed the idiots mind that he just arrived. "No, who?"  
"Its Kaka-sensei!"

Sasuke choked on his rice ball. "What?!" he sputtered.

Naruto laughed. No one really believed him when he told them this. Heck maybe it was because he told people this so freely that the rumors of his cousin have gotten of hand, of course the idiot never considered that one bit.

"How can he – Idiot are you – how is that even possible!?" Sasuke finally asked.

"I know!"

"You never even told me that he was your uncle!" he sounded so appalled

"It slipped my mind, but yeah he got Sakura's mom pregnant like when he was twenty? Maybe I forget, but yeah."

Sasuke paused, not even bothering to continue picking at his food. He had to let it all sink in. It was just too much. He talked to the masked man for so long before he left; he could've at least given some sort of hint that there was someone his age running around carrying pieces of his DNA. Granted, Kakashi was also aware of all the girls that trailed after him on a daily basis, so keeping his daughter from turning into another brainless fan girl must've been his first priority.

"Now that I think about it," Naruto began, "Why do you want to know?"

Sasuke looked up, taken slightly aback from his comment, "Why do you think?"

He shrugged, "Like I know what goes on in that dark, emo head of yours. You just never took an interest any girls since… _Ever_."

Sasuke scoffed, "Please I'm not interested. But not knowing of what the others were talking about was eating at my brain."

"They offered to tell you."

"But there explanation would've been a bit too biased for me."

"Mmm hmm," the blonde finished the rest of his treasured instant soup before he tossed the cup across the room, into the awaiting trash bin, "I still don't get why they don't like her that much."

"Did she do anything to them?" Sasuke asked, eating his food calmly.

"Not a thing, she doesn't do anything to anyone." Naruto stared off out the window, "She's just like a zombie."

With that, lunch was over.

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He wasn't getting obsessed, no. He wasn't.

It had already been three months into the school year and Sakura continued to remain silent at her seat. It was killing him. He heard her speak once, _once_. And no more. The memory of her voice was slowly, ever so slowly fading away from his memory. Her presence was just too… _annoying_. Naruto reasoned with him that she was always like this; there was no point in getting heated over something natural.

Kakashi had spoken to him as well. The first thing on Sasuke's list to ask him went along the lines of, "Why the hell didn't you tell me you had a daughter?!"

Kakashi first, politely gave the raging teen a detention for his outburst, and later explained because it wasn't of his concern to know about Sakura. After countless retorts and thoroughly long explanation to why it was his concern, he went on to ask what was wrong with his daughter. Of course with his current rage he couldn't find it in him to say in a kinder way. His only response to that remark was a very curt; "You know, being the father that I am, I don't appreciate the amount of interest you're taking into my daughter."

That as a result only infuriated the Uchiha more.

"Like I'm going to try anything with Sakura! You should know me better than that."

Kakashi bobbled his head in a lazy nod, "Yes but note that you have grown, I can trust your mind of course, however your body engulfed in hormones; that's another story entirely."

Releasing a finally huff, he stormed out of the room.

He began stomping into the school parking way, his eyes shifted forward, and as if it was destined to happen, Sakura was right there…

Without noticing he began to walk forward, trying his best to catch up her. Once he was a few steps away from her he saw her body stiffen, and he vaguely heard her murmur to herself; "If he has eyes may he not see me, if he has ears may he not hear me, if he has lips may he not call me, if he has hands may he not touch me, if he has legs may he not chase me."

Her voice was so soft, and so fearful. It mesmerized him into oblivion. His steps faulted and he stood still only a foot away from the girl. He watched her, tensing up in front of him tightly it was almost painful to watch. Her voice trembled and he almost wished that her little prayer had been realized.

"H…," as the sound escaped from his mouth the girl fled. He stood there for a good thirty seconds starring after her before he decided to dash off behind her.

"Wait!" he called after her. He swore he had never seen a girl run so fast in his life. He was considered a fast runner as well but as they continued to run he noticed that he wasn't closing the distance one bit; their speeds were almost identical. How frightened could she possibly be of him? To run this fast and turn this many corners. Luckily there were hardly any students left on school grounds but still. She just wouldn't slow down.

His eyes moved to her hood. She was holding it steady with her right hand. Was her face such a thing to hide? He didn't understand. Until it finally dawn on him.

_Why was he chasing her?_

His jerked to a stop, and watched as she continued to run, probably circling around to go back and wait for Kakashi. Why _was_ he chasing her? He didn't care for the girl enough for it. Hell, he didn't even know her. Was he planning to force the hood away from her head? No, he wouldn't dare do such a thing, especially to a perfect stranger, not to mention the hell Kakashi would put him through if he ever found out. His panting had died down enough, good thing the run wasn't enough to make him sweaty, even on this hot day.

He slowly made his way back to his car. He threw his bag in and started the engine. Three months and not once could he remember a day where Sakura Haruno wasn't the main focus of his attention.

He wasn't obsessed, no. Not yet at least. She was just a curious person, and well he was human enough to be curious about the curiosity that was this, literally, what's-her-face girl. It was nothing big. He just wanted to learn more about the girl, and why she hid her face.

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Naruto continued to shy away from the subject of the mystery girl that was his second cousin, much to Sasuke's discomfort. He was trying his best keep a level head but the school year was already coming to an end and to be honest he had made no good progress in trying to see the girls face. She continued to sit beside him… It was like Kakashi was mocking him with her constant presence. Even in lunch his friends had the inconvenience of sitting out in the yard right next to Kakashi's room where the girl would eat with her father in silence. He noticed as he peaked in one day they rarely talked only sight murmurs to the other… yet they seemed so close.

It was today though that luck/misfortune seemed to be following both his and Sakura's way.

It was late afterschool, Sasuke stayed behind to retake a test he had missed the previous week. It was pretty quiet like it was every day. Club activities were canceled today so the silence was justified. He headed towards his car when the sound of hurried steps caught his attention.

He turned to see a rather disturbing sight.

Four girls in total were running. One being chased; the others running after the poor victim. The three girls chasing were clearly furious, taunting and throwing horrible hateful words at the girl in the front. His eyes widened when he noticed the red hood on the so-called prey.

Sakura. She was running faster than when he was chasing her a while back. He didn't like it one bit.

His bag hit the floor with a thud as he stormed after the girls. "Hey!"

The hooded girl, hearing his voice, stiffened in her steps, stumbling and landing on her knees on the concrete floor. The other girls surrounded her. Sasuke's steps came to jolted stop in front of the girls before him.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun!" one of them chimed, "Can we help you with anything?"

_Really? _He thought to himself.

Ignoring their question, "What's going on?" his hardened eyes turned to the girl shaking on the floor.

"Nothing," their heads followed his gaze, "Just taking care of business, she's used to it." The second girl spoke, "I don't get why she tries to run anymore."

He felt his arms start to shake. This couldn't be _real_. His eyes didn't soften one bit in front of the girls.

"So, Sasuke we can help you later so,"

"Leave."

They stood dumbfound.

"Hard of hearing?" he sneered, "Get out of here!"

With wide eyes they ran out the lot.

He took a few relaxing breaths before his gaze went back to Sakura. She was still shaking, as he slowly kneeled down to her level. "You okay?"

Her head jolted slightly, he took that as a nod. The small droplet of water from her slightly exposed chin said otherwise.

He didn't know what to do at this point. His hand twitched to wipe at her probably tear streaked face; however he didn't want to make any sudden movement. She was sensitive, he figured that much; her trembling frame was enough for that.

He shifted ever so slight, and the movement, like he feared, had a gasp escape from her mouth. He could tell by the tightening of her muscles that she was getting ready to sprint again. Not wanting her to leave too quickly, he reached forward just as she was getting up. His fingers hooked themselves on the creases of her hood, yanking the fabric back. His eyes widened as she gasped once again.

It was only for a second. Maybe two. But he saw her. He saw Cov- no, he saw Sakura's face. Her gaze was one of horror and shock. His eyes noted the bruises on her delicately pale face all around her cheeks. His eyes burned again at the girls that had probably caused them. But past her injuries he saw such beauty beneath them. Yes, she was prettier than Ino… than any other girl he had ever seen; here in Konoha even while studying abroad even with her now visible rosette pink hair, her name suited her so well. In those quick seconds, his gaze traveled to her still shocked eyes, again he was mesmerized by bright pools of emerald. They were filled with so many emotions but the one at the surface appeared to be… sorrow.

And finally, she snatched her hood back over her head running to the car that must've been of Kakashi's.

He just stood there, completely dumbfounded.

She hid such a treasure from the world. He didn't understand why… why? _Why?_

His curiosity peaked once again, much more than he thought it would.

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**That's it for now. Well this is part one of this two-shot. Tell me what you think! It just came to my mind a long time ago. This story originally began last year but I continued to add and take stuff out. It was frustrating so this was only edited by me as will the other chapter. I still have stuff to do in school… So close, ever so close to finally graduating High School, gotta get my grades up so I'll see when I can update the other chapter.**

**And like always, Bare With Me!**

**Ja ne!**

**-Ira**


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